Hobby horse



March 19, 1957 B, F PREWITT 2,785,732

rQLL

BTTORNEX United :Staf-s Parent HOBBY HORSE Ben F. Prewitt, Montgomery, Aia. 'i YApplication May 7, 1954, serial No. 428,261

s claims. (cl. s- 56) ,More particularly it is an object of the invention` to provide a motion mechanism' vfor a seat for avrider which constrains the seat .to move in a curved path highest at.

the center, through an intermediate portion onlyof which the' `seat remains horizontal.

n important object ofthe invention consists. in the-v arrangement of a spring-resisted, pivoted rocker `which acts 4Vintermediate a base to; provide .movable fulcra for arms hinged thereto and to a seat and to provide limiting stopsforthe arms, between which theirmovement is unresisted.

lAnother important object ofthe vinvention comprises thearrangementof a device in which'therider is Vsupported on a seat hinged at the upper ends of spaced par.- allel arms fulcrumed at their lower ends in such amanner` asrto provide restraint only at the ends of rocking movement of the arms.

A still further object ofthe `in."e.ntion resides in 'the construction anAarrangement of a hobby and exercise horse adapted to' oscilla'tel forwardlyaud'backwardly in an over-centervniovement Vllulerlthe muscular action of the rider andin which the path of ridermovement and inclination of Vthe vhorse changes gradually at eachlendzof a strolcejtoyary the reaction between vrider and horserufoi furiher muscular'developr'rient. v

Other-and further 'objects of theinvention will become more fully understood Yby those'skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawing andfollwing specicationfwh'e'rein is disclosed a single exemplary embodiment of the invention with the understanding that such changes and modifications may be made therein as fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a bouncing motion mechanism for hobby and exercise horses; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l.

The apparatus of the present invention is intended for amusement and/ or exercising and may oe constructed in sizes suitable for children of Various ages or adults. It is adapted for use indoors or out in accordance with the character of materials used in construction. As illustrated the device is in the nature of means producing motions simulating a horseback ride, with the portion adapted to be used as a seat by the rider preferably of the stylized configura-tion of a horse, in order to provide for a safe seat and convenient hand holds, and foot rests, if desired. The simulation is in conformity with the mo- 2,785,732 Patented Mar. 19, 1357 tiondeveloped by the mounting apparatus now to be described- Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the apparatus is mounted on a suitable rigid base platform 10 provided with a pair of upstanding bearing blocks 11 spaced laterally apart intermediate the ends of the platform and providing journals for trunnions or a 'transverse pin 12 about which rocker platform 15 is adapted to osciilate. This platform is of generally inverted triangular outline and of considerable width in the direction of the axis, of pivot 12 for a purpose which will later appear and is resiliently biased against rocking about'its pivot by means of the leaf spring 16, generally V-shaped, in order that the arms 17 thereof may bear against the at under faces of the short sides of the triangular rocker.

Between these arms the spring is bowed downwardly as shown to clear the center portion of the platform rocker and provide for mounting on the top surface of the base 10 betweenthe blocks 11 where it is rigidly attached by bolts 1,8.

The simulated horse or any other suitable seating device 20 is. shown mounted well above the rockerl platform by means which Will later be described. Thei seat'may include a saddle simulation or merely a depression 21'in the back lof the horse 20 which may be'formed'of any suitable material and shaped' and colored to suit. For

Vhand holds a transverse bar 22 may extend through the head portion, Vas shown, and if desireddangling or rigid stirrups l211i may be suspended from the horse, `not only to facilitate mounting but to aid the riderin maintaining his Y balance when shifting his weight in the motion necessary to impart action to the device, since he is fully outV of contact with the base 10.

The connection between the horse or seat and platform rocker. comprises a pair of fore and aft spaced parallel arms A2 5, transversely pivoted as at 26 Vat longitudinally spacedpositions on the horse near. its bottom. Transverse pivot pins 28 are secured to the bars 25 at the level lar configuration in side elevation, substantially' closed at the l top where the bars enter them and have front and rear walls 32 and 33 substantially radial .to the axes of the pivotszZSfwhereby to be engaged by the dependentex- -tensions 25' of the bars 25 to define the'two terminal positions of these bars relative to the platform.

This arrangement just described gives the horse a capability of movement so that any point thereon travels in a substantially arcuate path about a corresponding point on a line joining the centers of pivots 28 during movement resultant only from the pivoting of the arms 25. During this movement the horse remains substantially parallel to the base platform. Beginning from one end position of repose, as shown in solid lines in the igure, full stroke movement of the seat is completed by giving the horse suicient impetus to carry over the vertical center from Where it will fall, on the lowering side of the arc, until its motion is terminated by engagement of the dependent portions 25 against the rear walls 33 of the wells in the rocker, as shown in dotted lines. The substantial weight of the rider and the momentum imparted on the downward side of the arcuate path just'described, results in bringing the lower ends of bars 25 into engagement with the pocket Walls to instantly transfer to the rocker the energy of this movement, causing the rocker to pivot and flex its appropriate spring leaf which absorbs the shock. Any portion of the horse now travels in an e reef/s2 p arc about the center of the pivot 12 .and the horse noV longer remains parallel to the base platform butvachieves@ increasing tilt in the direction of its movement. The

motionrof the horse is slowly brought to a halt bythe flexure of -the appropriate leaf of the spring- 16."Ihis'-- spring then recoils and returns the platform substantially" to its intermediate position, at the'same time imparting momentumy to the horse and rider which 'can be' aug? mented by his own muscular action to throw the horse over centerand allow the action just described to be repeated in the reverse direction. The operator soon learns to exert bodymovement at the proper time and position in respect to the motion of the horse to maintain the continued oscillation of the same from maximum'forward toV maximum rear position, riding 'the same free between the stop positions of the .lower ends ofthe arms' in the' Y wells but experiencing deceleration rat each end vof the stroke which is much less abrupt than it would be' in the absence of the platform rocker and itsvbufferspring. The Y extent of the muscular action of the rider' during this deceleration, as by rising in the stirrups,-determines the am plitudeiof motion, as willbe apparent.

If the bars 25 are rigid members the amplitude'of mol tion will be somewhat restricted, but by making them=of relatively exiblesteel 'in v.the form of leaf springs'much, greater iamplitude .of motion can be achieved with less violentshockat the ends of the strokes, and aV further change inthe shape of the curved path travelled bythe horse 'results because of the bending of these elements when the horses movement is restricted by the spring 16 acting on the platform. 1`

It will be appreciated that the arrangement 'of the" 4 Y 4. An exercising device, in combination, a base, a seat unit, stirrups suspended from said seat'unit,-ranrinter" mediate element resiliently hinged to the base, parallel motion means connecting the unit to the intermediate element, and motion range limiting means for said parallel motion means.

5. The exercising means of claim 4 in which the parallel motion means includesy spring blades bendable by "l momentum of the seat unit when the motion range limiting means become effective to thereby increase the range of movement of the seat unit. Y Y Y 6. In a bouncing motion device, in combination, a seat having transverse pivots spaced fore and aftebel'ow the seating surface thereof, a pair of parallel arms pivoted respectively on said pivots, a platform, Ypivots connecting the opposite ends of said arms to the upper surface of said platform, said arms being resilient flexible spring leaves unrestrained in respect to each set of pivots for movement thereon through-a predetermined range and means cofulcra, springs, pivots and the like are only Villustrative Y and that many alternative forms may be made `use of in Y accordance with the wishes of the constructor andryet achieve the same results.

Iclaim: Y

l. In a device of the type described, in combination,

a base platform, a rocker platform unit, means pivoting the second platform .to rock above and in respect to the first about .a horizontal axis, spring means acting between.

said platforms to restrain relative movement, a seat unit, parallel 'arms respectively pivoted at fore and aft spaced locations on theuriderY side of the seat unit, means pivoting the lower ends of said arms at similarly spaced locations on the said rocker platform unit, and means to limit the amount "of `angular movement between one ofsaid.

units and, said arms.

2.v The device of claim 1 in which the movernent'lim'-` -iting'gmeans 4are incorporated in the rocker platform unit.

3. t The device of` claim 1 in whichV the parallel arms supporting the seat are resilient exible springs capable Yof considerable flexing under therweight and momentumfofV a rider n said seat;

operating between said arms near 'one end thereof a'ndf-' the part to which they are pivoted to abruptly Vlimit'tlie 1 extent of free angular movement therebetweensad means comprising pockets in the platform and extensions fontthe arms below the lower pivots projecting into said pockets. v

7. In a bouncing motion device, in combination, asea't`VV having Vtransverse pivots spaced fore and'aft below the seating surface thereof, a pair of parallel arms pivoted Yrespectively on said pivots, a platform, pivots connect-v ing the opposite ends of said arms to the uppersurfac'ei of said platform, said arms being resilient flexible' springe' leaves unrestrained in respect to each set of pivots'for movement. thereon through a predetermined range, meansr cooperating between said arms near one end thereofeand'c the par-tto which they are pivoted to abruptly `limit the extent Yof free angular movement therebetween, :means pivoting said platform to a base for rocking on an axis-- parallel to the pivots for said arms and below all of'them VancLresilient resisting means positioned to limit the said rocking.V f Y -Y `8. .The Ycombination of claim 7 in which the said plat formA is shaped as an inverted triangle and the resisting means comprises a V-shaped leaf spring haw'ng arms engaging the short sides of the triangle.

@Great Britain i895 Y:Y 

